proved himself as able a statesman as he had been a military leader. Next to Washington stood Alexander Hamilton with his famous letters and papers on the defects of the government and their remedy. James Madison of Virginia actively aided Washington and Hamilton in Congress, while Franklin, by letters from abroad and vigorous speeches, strove to educate the people toward the same end.

311. A National Land System Forms a Bond of Union Between the States. Seven of the thirteen original colonies claimed the country as far west as the Mississippi, whereas the remaining six states, having fixed western boundaries, could not claim any part of these western lands. The Northwest Territory, the stretch of country between the Ohio and the Great Lakes and between the Alleghanies and the Mississippi, won by Clark's conquest and the late peace treaty, was claimed, all or in part, by each of four states. Massachusetts and Connecticut claimed to extend west to the Mississippi by virtue of their charters. New York claimed all of the Northwest Territory on the ground of an agreement with the Iroquois Indians; while Virginia laid a double claim to the whole territory by reason of her charter and of Clark's conquest. These conflicting claims led to bitter disputes, in which Maryland took a leading part, refusing to ratify the Articles of Confederation until the claimants of the western territory should relinquish to the national government for the common good, all these claims.

After long and hot discussions, New York, taking the lead, finally yielded her claims. The remaining six states one by one followed her example. Connecticut, however, kept a tract of land along the southern shores of Lake Erie called the Western Reserve. The common possession of the Northwest Territory did much to hold the states together, and in securing national control Maryland had done the nation a great service.

312. The Ordinance of 1787. Now that the land cessions were made, many New England veterans desired to settle in the

present state of Ohio. The Congress of the Confederation, in one of its last and best acts, passed the famous Ordinance of 1787. This measure provided:

(a) for the government of the Northwest Territory;

(b) that the Territory be divided into not less than three nor more than five states (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan,

and Wisconsin);

(c) that education be encouraged;

(d) that there be religious freedom;

(e) that slavery be forever prohibited-runaway slaves, however, to be returned to their masters.

This Ordinance became a model for later organization of territories and is classed in importance with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. In comment upon it, Webster says: "We are accustomed to praise the lawgivers of antiquity-but I doubt whether one single law from any lawgiver, ancient or modern, has produced effects of more distinct, marked and lasting character than the Ordinance of 1787.”

313. First Steps Toward a National Convention. Virginia and Maryland wished to come to some agreement concerning the use of Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac. Their delegates met for this purpose at Alexandria (1785) and wisely concluded that since the states trading with Virginia and Massachusetts would be affected by such a commercial treaty all the states ought to take part and help to frame some general laws for the regulation of trade. Therefore a circular letter was sent to all the states inviting them to join in a great trade convention to be held in the following year at Annapolis.

Delegates from only five states (Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey) responded to the call. Nothing final could be accomplished because of the small representation and the limited powers of the delegates. It was clear also that even if all the states should agree on laws for regulating trade, such laws would be of no avail without a central authority to enforce them. So, before adjourning, the dele

gates agreed on a resolution, framed by Alexander Hamilton, which proposed that Congress call a great national convention, to be held in Philadelphia, for the purpose of amending the Articles of Confederation. The people and the states still hesitated, but Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts and the danger of similar uprisings in other states induced all the states,. except Rhode Island, to appoint some of their ablest men as delegates to a great national convention.

314. The Convention Frames and Adopts the Constitution. The Convention met in Philadelphia (May 25). Fifty-five delegates attended, and Washington was unanimously chosen president. This, one of the most memorable of the world's assemblies, remained in secret session almost four months. As the Articles of Confederation were too defective to admit of successful revision, it was decided to frame an entirely new Constitution. This was a very bold resolve, since the states sent their delegates with the understanding that the Articles of Confederation were to be revised. Hence it was feared that the new Constitution would be rejected because the convention had no authority to set aside the Articles of Confederation except by the unanimous, consent of the states. Nevertheless, a few of the Virginia delegates under the lead of Madison drew up a plan of government very much like our present Constitution. A South Carolina plan was later modeled after that of the Virginia delegates, with some original features, the most distinctive of which was the provision for a president who was to be called "His Excellency." The New Jersey plan was scarcely more than the revised Articles of Confederation. Hamilton offered a fourth plan, which provided that the chief executive hold office for life and have supreme executive authority. There were many stormy debates, but by judicious compromises, the Constitution of the United States was framed and adopted by the convention (September 17, 1787). Thirtynine of the fifty-five delegates signed the Constitution. The other sixteen would not sign because they objected to certain